Have you joined the Hayle Coven Universe Yet?

Yes? The you'll know how fabulous the stars of Patti Larsen's various Hayle Coven series are. 

No? Well you should! And for this weeks Friday Feature I'm going to tell you why I adore this series.

But first I have an awesome giveaway... and must say a huge thank you to Patti Larsen for her generosity.

I have a chance for you get your hands on the 1st three books in the Hayle Coven Novels series (e-book format), so that's Family Magic, Witch Hunt and Demon Child.

 

Same as always guys, comment on this blog to enter. :)

The Hayle Coven Novels

It all began with Sydlynn, daughter of an all powerful witch Miriam Hayle and Demon Lord of the seventh plain Haralthazar, or Harry in his human form. An outcast at school and weirded out by her family magic, Syd just wants to be normal. 

I'm on record saying how the beginning of Syd's story, Family Magic, changed my life. Both as a writer and as a reader, I'd never enjoyed the first person point of view until I picked up the first in this twenty novel series by Patti Larsen, and also discovered the Young Adult genre at the same time. I dropped my romantic genre prejudices and found a new favourite author. 

Every novel in this series seems just as good if not better than the one preceding it. The whiny teenage who rejected her family as much as she did her powers has blossomed into a fine young woman, coven leader and around super witch destined to save the world. 

But what's even more amazing is Syd, given her maturity, responsibility, expectations and nineteen novels has remained the same, side splitting funny and snarky character throughout, no matter where her journey has taken her, or the cost.

This universe is littered with the most endearing characters, I don't know where to start. But I guess it has to be the Cat. No ordinary house cat, Sassafras has a demon heritage and banished into the body of a Persian for his wrong doings on the demon plane. He's spent one hundred and fifty years with the Hayles and he's the most stubborn, snarky and entertaining cat you'll ever come across. Not content to let Syd have all the limelight he even has his own book.

Grams, love Grams. And although she spends the first four books locked inside her own mind, where at the time tequila and chocolate could only stop Grams from going on magical rampages, Syd has a special bond with Grams unlike anything you've seen before. The dialogue between Syd and her grandmother is laugh out load funny. And I cannot tell you how much I love Grams. 

Miriam, Syd's Mom, is a mighty powerful witch in her own right. She's often the  one the magical kingdom turns to in time of trouble and as much as Miriam is the one Syd turns to, Mom is the one Syd rebels against the most. Time and time again, Syd clashes with Miriam's authority as she fights for what is fair, for justice, and the right thing to do rather than taking the action deemed okay by magical law. 

Harry, Syd's  Dad, is fighting his own destiny. We're shown several times Haralthazar is a big, mean, scary demon, but he showers Syd and her sister with love and even calls his daughter cupcake, much to Syd's displeasure. That's just the start of the father-daughter relationship. Harry is Syd's hero and she fights for her parents right to their witch-demon relationship over and over. You need several boxes of tissues across several novels when it comes to Syd's relationship with her Mom and Dad. 

Meira, Syd's kid sister. Unlike Syd, Meems is more demon than witch and has to disguise her demonic form from the normals. We watch Meira grow from a little girl ashamed of her demon half and living in the shadow of her sister, to become strong and powerful as she embraces her own destiny. Syd and Meems have the true bonds of sisterhood. they clash, they fight, they slam doors in each others faces, but no one messes with the Hayle Sisters and they're a formidable force when they stand up for one another, or together as proven by the totally awesome First Plane. 

Syd sets out for one thing, and I think every teenager wants that same thing; to be normal, to fit in, to be accepted. Attending a 'normals' high school is tough for a witch. She's automatically a outcast because they know she's different, they just don't know why. But over the course of the series Syd gathers a group of friends, characters whom from the start are important, it's fascinating to watch them grow as Syd's destiny unfolds. Her future binds her to all magical races and Syd becomes recognised and accepted by them, but not without one or two battles to prove herself worthy along the way.

Just like every other teen, Syd faces the prospect of romance and heartbreak, and it all starts with a normal, football star Brad. Mix this with the complication of her demon half preferring new coven member Quaid and Syd's many boy troubles have just begun. As Syd's powers develop so does her heart, the yummilious boys just keep turning up, the attractions fed by the different powers and connections to the various planes that control Syd's future. Figuring out which one of these boys Syd is going to end up with in the end is part of the joy of HCN. Patti Larsen writes in a way that she never fails to surprise you and if you look on Patti Larsen's facebook page you'll see everyone has their favourite. Mine? The vampire. Don't ask me why. I'm not a follower of the recent vampire movement in the entertainment industry, to the point where I haven't seen an episode of True Blood, or a Twilight movie, I haven't even read the books. But, for me, there's just something about that vampire. 

We're now at book nineteen of twenty in what has been a rollercaster of less than two years. (Yes, people twenty books in less than two years.) I don't think I've laughed, or cried, or clung on, or craved the next book in the series so much. I drop everything when I get that email telling me the next HCN is waiting for me and recent the real world when I can't. I could not pick out a favourite from in the entire Hayle Coven Novels series. It's so sad that this series is coming to an end. 

But this isn't the end of the Hayle Coven Universe. There's the Hayle Coven Histories, the Hayle Coven Destinies and not to mention Sassafrass's book and Meira is taking centre stage sometime in the Autumn. 

I love the Hayle Coven Novels its almost always gets five stars from me. So here's your chance to discover why I fell in love with this series. Whether you're a die hard fan or just hearing about it for the first time comment below to enter for your chance to win these three e-books.

   

You can read all of my reviews for the Hayle Coven Novels here, and my reviews for Patti Larsen's other books here, and if you haven't joined the Hayle Coven universe, you start with Family Magic here.

Erin